


But Someone's Got To Do It

by chazpure



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-22
Updated: 2011-06-22
Packaged: 2017-10-20 15:28:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/214227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chazpure/pseuds/chazpure
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Neville undertakes a botanical research project at the Romanian Dragon Reservation, Charlie Weasley is delighted at the opportunity to get away from his boring paperwork and lend a hand, no matter how dirty the job.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Someone's Got To Do It

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for spacetweenears, for the 2006 HP_Springsmut exchange on LiveJournal.

_Dear Gran,_

 _Thank you very much for the new scarf and gloves. I have been wearing them ever since I left Les Jardins Magique Nationale, and they have kept me nice and warm. Trevor also appreciates the new portable terrarium you sent; the warming charm on it has made him much more lively on this trip._

 _I am sorry I wasn't able to stay home longer, but Mme. Verdois insisted that this research study had to be started immediately, before the Spring thaw, for a complete record from germination through maturity. This is the calmest time at the Reservation, I'm told, so it's the best time for me to get in and get settled, before everyone is too busy to be bothered with a herbologist under foot. This way, by the time breeding season arrives, they'll all be used to me and I'll be able to keep out of their way._

Neville studied the last line of his letter and chewed the end of his quill. Gran was really upset about him going anywhere near dragons. He carefully spelled away the last sentence. There was no point in reminding her about the hazards of breeding season.

 _Mme. Verdois wrote a very nice letter of introduction for me; I am enclosing a copy for you. I hope you won't worry, Gran. I'll be fine, really. Ron Weasley's older brother is one of the assistant directors of the Research Centre, so I already know someone there._

Neville grimaced a bit as he wrote that; he'd met Charlie a handful of times during the war, but they'd never really had much to say to each other. Charlie was so...well...overwhelming, really - all bright red hair and flashing eyes and booming laugh and...and dragon-keeperish. He'd never really known how to react around someone so...exuberant.

 _I'll send you another owl to let you know I've arrived. Could you please send my grey cloak? I think I left it in the hall closet over Christmas._

He smiled a bit; Gran would roll her eyes and complain bitterly about his carelessness and forgetfulness, but she loved still being able to "look after" him, and he was careful to leave something of his behind every time he went home.

 _Give my love to Mum and Dad, and tell them I'll visit as soon as I can._

 _Love,_

 _Neville_

He blew across the last line of ink to dry it, then folded and sealed the letter. He sighed. Gran would still worry, no matter how he reassured her. He'd send the letter at their next stop, and he'd have to remember to send another as soon as he arrived at the Reservation, or she'd be sure he'd been devoured by a dragon. If he sent her regular letters, maybe she would eventually relax about his assignment.

He only wished he could reassure himself.

* * *

When the train pulled into Bucharest, Neville wasn't quite sure what he had expected, but the broad-shouldered, grinning red-head in the dragon hide jacket and trousers who stepped up and clapped him soundly on the shoulder certainly wasn't it.

"Neville! Good to see you! It's been a while, hasn't it? Come on, let's get going." Charlie Weasley smiled as he shook Neville's hand vigorously, hefted his trunk and began steering him through the crowd. "Have a nice trip?"

"Er, nice to see you, too...very...um...nice trip," Neville said, trying not to stare at Charlie's tight arse and powerful thighs encased in the shimmering leather.

"It's been a long time since I took that train," Charlie said conversationally. "I usually take a broom, but that's a bit dodgy with luggage. Oh, the Director's assigned me to you," he added, grinning back over his shoulder, "I'll be showing you around the preserve and helping you out with your research study."

"Oh! I-- I thought you'd be far too busy with the dragons to bother with a herbologist," Neville said in surprise. "Hermione's last letter said you were an Assistant Director, now."

Charlie grimaced. "Yeah, I am. Sodding desk job - gah! I _hate_ paperwork," he said, rolling his eyes. "Some bright lad decided that anyone with more than ten years' experience working directly with dragons should be moved into administration and leave the 'more hazardous and physically demanding aspects of the work to younger bodies'! I ask you, do I look decrepit to you?" he snorted, tossing the trunk over his head onto his other shoulder and dodging past a gaggle of witches who were trying to stack fifteen large cauldrons on one small trolley.

"Er, no," Neville said, darting to keep up with him. "I think-- I mean, that's pretty silly, isn't it?"

"Damn right it is!" Charlie said. "We had four new keepers hurt in the first month after that idiocy was implemented, and the injury rate is still climbing. Fortunately, they'll probably come to their senses before long - by the time the quarterly review period rolls around, at worst," he sighed.

"I-I have some seedlings and cuttings in crates in the baggage car," Neville said, when they paused for a moment to let a string of school children go by.

"No problem," Charlie said. He cut toward the left, propelling Neville along. Faster than Neville would have believed, given the number of people in the station, they had found the baggage claim area and retrieved his precious crates. "All set, then?" Charlie asked with a smile.

When Neville nodded, Charlie fished in one of his large pockets and pulled out a rather battered liniment tin. Removing the lid, he held it out to Neville. "Get a good hold on that crate," Charlie said, slipping his arm through the strap on Neville's trunk and grabbing hold of the second crate. "On three, then? One, two, three!"

Neville clutched the crate and dipped his free hand in the tin as Charlie did, feeling the jerk and pull behind his navel as the portkey activated. After a few moments of swirling disorientation, he staggered onto a snowy slope and would have fallen head first into a low stone wall if a strong hand hadn't caught and steadied him.

"Thanks," he said, blushing slightly.

"Any time," Charlie said. "Got your balance back?"

"Yeah."

"Well, here we are! Welcome to the Romanian Dragon Reservation and Research Centre, world's largest institution for the preservation and study of the world's most fascinating magical creatures," Charlie waved an arm expansively, indicating the snowy slopes rising all around them.

The air was icy cold; Neville shivered and felt the crate in his arms to be sure its warming and cushioning charms had held.

"Let's get in out of the weather," Charlie said, ushering him through a great stone archway into an imposing castle. "We'll get you settled and then I'm sure you could use a hot meal and something to drink."

Neville was too cold to do more than nod as he hurried in out of the cold. Despite the stone walls, it was very cheerful and blessedly warm inside the castle. He rubbed his fingers together and sighed as the feeling began to return to them.

"We've set you up in quarters right across the hall from mine," Charlie said. "The Director was so glad to find someone who had actually met you before--"

"You mean, someone who would put up with me?" Neville asked with a small grin.

"Heh," Charlie chuckled, "Well, there was a bit of that, but not much, really. Actually, I think the Director is hoping to talk your boss into some kind of research partnership, but I don't know any of the details. Then again, Mme. Verdois was a very handsome witch, still not remarried, last I heard, and Magistre Tokacs may have more than research on his mind."

They stopped in front of a bright blue door, cheerfully painted with a wreath of poppies, wheat and trailing ivy. "Here we are," Charlie said, pushing the door open. He set his crate down on the bed and eased the trunk down to the floor.

"Thanks, Charlie," Neville said, putting his own crate down as well.

"No problem. I'll let you get settled in, then take you down to supper in about an hour, all right?"

"Sure," Neville said absently, as he began uncrating his precious plants.

"Oh, Neville," Charlie gave an embarrassed chuckle, "I was so anxious to get away from that bloody desk that I never did ask about the specifics. Just what sort of research are you going to be doing?"

"Hm? Oh!" Neville turned back to his host and took a deep breath, then recited, "Mme. Verdois is very interested in the potential for enhancing the magical properties of certain plants through precisely formulated feeding mixtures, administered during critical stages of development. She has a theory that most commercially available fertilizers are magically weakened through too-long composting in combination with nonmagical constituents. Also, she wants me to run comparisons on species-varietal fertilizers, and take samples of native flora and note the growth and character variations caused by proximity to each variety of naturally-occurring fertilizer."

Charlie blinked at this torrent of words and stared at him, then a slow grin spread across his freckled face. He reined it in for a moment and replied solemnly, "I see. And no doubt, you will want to take note of the effects of age, gender, and diet of the donors as well."

"Er...yes," Neville said, watching the twinkle dance in Charlie's bright blue eyes.

"Well, Mr. Longbottom, I think we will be able to accommodate your needs here. As you may know, this facility is home to the largest number of _draconis_ species ever assembled. I think I may say with full confidence, that if what you're looking for is a superlative collection of dragon shite, you have come to precisely the right location." Charlie let his poker face slip just a bit, the corners of his mouth quirking in amusement.

For some reason, Neville was suddenly quite sure that Charlie was not laughing _at him_ , but instead inviting him to laugh along. Charlie was watching him carefully, still restraining his laughter as he waited for Neville's response.

Neville drew in a deep breath and said very evenly, "Well, Mr. Weasley, I am very gratified to hear that. I know it is a difficult assignment...in fact, it's a...um...shitty job, but someone has to do it." Very slowly, he let himself smile.

Charlie's grin escaped, and in moments they were both laughing aloud.

* * *

 _Dear Gran,_

 _I arrived safely in Romania and am now here at the Dragon Reservation and Research Centre. Most of the dragons are still hibernating, so I will have plenty of time to set up my greenhouse and get everything ready before beginning to collect samples._

 _Assistant Director Charlie Weasley has very kindly given me a tour of the facilities here and will be helping with the research work once the thaw comes. Magistre Tokacs, the Director, has also been very kind and helpful. He knows Mme. Verdois quite well and is anxious to provide her the best possible samples for our study._

 _Thank you very much for sending my grey cloak. It's very chilly here, especially at night, and I have been particularly grateful for extra gloves you sent with it. Trevor has gone back into hibernation, despite the new terrarium; I suppose it's just too cold here for him right now._

 _Give Mum and Dad my love. I'll write again soon._

 _Love,_

 _Neville_

* * *

Neville knelt by the twelfth raised bed in the new greenhouse and thrust his trowel into the soil, turning it over and over and breaking the cold clods apart with the back of the tool. After crushing the worst of the lumps, he set the trowel aside and ran his fingers through the soil, rubbing and crumbling it into fluffy powder. He lifted a bit of it to his face and sniffed. It was perfectly prepared, perfectly balanced, if a bit nutrient-poor, but that was all intentional. He had similar soil in pots ranged on benches along the greenhouse walls, and everything else was ready for his tender little seedlings and cuttings to embark on their adventures with dragon dung fertilizer. He closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet, earthy fragrance again, then touched the tip of his tongue to his dirty finger.

"I know it's hard work, Nev, but if you're that hungry, I'm sure the kitchen can find _something_ better than dirt for lunch," a familiar voice said.

Neville's eyes flew open and he felt himself flushing. Charlie was lounging in the doorway, smiling at him. "Er...just checking the acidity--" he said hurriedly.

Charlie waved a hand carelessly. "Say no more, Neville. Far be it from me to come between a man and his acidity tests," he said. He straightened up and came into the greenhouse, looking around admiringly. "You'd never know this had been a carriage house and stables at one time. I'm really impressed," he said.

Neville shrugged. "I didn't do much, really. All the equipment was in my luggage. I just set it up."

"No disparaging our resident herbologist," Charlie chided gently. "You did a wonderful job. But how do you stand the temperature - worse, the _humidity_ in here?" He pulled at his collar and flapped his shirt a bit, gasping melodramatically.

"I'm used to it, I suppose. It seems like I've spent half my life in one greenhouse or another," Neville said with a smile. He stood up and stretched then bent back down to gather his tools. When he straightened up again, Charlie seemed to be having quite a bit of trouble with the heat. His face was flushed and he had unbuttoned his shirt halfway and was fanning the edges of it back and forth. His face grew a bit redder as Neville looked at him in concern. Neville bent again and picked up a watering can. " _Aguamenti_ " he said, tapping it with his wand. He held out the can to Charlie and poured a stream of cold, clear water into the other man's hands when he cupped them. Charlie splashed his face and slicked his fiery hair back.

Neville poured a palmful of water and rinsed the worst of the dirt from his hands before splashing his own face. As he blinked the water clear of his eyes, he thought for a moment that Charlie was staring at him, and there was the strangest flash of color...it seemed to be moving beneath Charlie's shirt.

Neville shook his head, spraying water everywhere.

"Hey!" Charlie laughed, throwing up his hands in protest. "I already took one shower today! Listen, Nev, I came by to tell you that the northern breeds are showing signs of stirring. The Ridgebacks, Short-Snouts, and Ironbellies will probably start coming out of their caves in another few days, so we'll be able to start gathering your samples soon."

"Oh! That's great," Neville said, wiping his hands on his smock. "Everything here is just about ready; all I need to do is make up some labels and prepare the composting bins."

"You need any help? Remember, I'm all yours," Charlie said with a wink.

"N-no, thanks, I've g-got it all under control, I think," he said, stammering slightly. Charlie seemed able to unsettle him with no more thought than breathing. Neville's cheeks felt hot and he knew he was probably beet red. Why did Charlie's teasing fluster him so? It was actually much milder than the joking and horseplay that had gone on in Gryffindor, back when he was in school, but for some reason, when the teasing came from a tall, freckled, ginger-haired Dragon Keeper in leather trousers, it was different.

* * *

 _Dear Gran,_

 _I hope you are feeling well and enjoying Gingerbelle's latest kittens. I was very glad to hear they are all healthy. I hope you will also enjoy the book I am sending you, on Medieval Carpathian Magic. Magistre Tokacs recommended it._

 _The greenhouse setup went very smoothly, and I got everything ready just in time. Ekaterina, the matriarch of the Ukrainian Ironbellies, came out of hibernation yesterday, and we collected the first of the samples this morning..._

Collecting samples of dragon dung might not sound particularly glamorous, Neville thought, but no one who had ever gone dung collecting with Charlie Weasley could claim it was dull.

"Ready to go?" Charlie rapped on the open door of his quarters as Neville was lacing up his boots. Spring thaw had arrived, but it was still bitingly cold outside and would likely continue that way until early summer.

"Yeah," Neville said, "Just let me grab some more specimen bags." He straightened and caught up a handful of tightly-woven canvas bags, tucking them into a large leather pouch on his belt. He still felt rather awkward in the leather flying gear Charlie insisted he wear, but he reminded himself that it really was necessary, if he was going to do his job.

Originally, he'd rather naively thought he would just find out where the dragons had left droppings, wait until the area was clear, then walk over and scoop up his samples. He had begun outlining his plans to Charlie, but the look of disbelief on the Dragon Keeper's face had stopped him flat.

Charlie had very gently and not at all condescendingly explained to him that _no one_ just strolled around a dragon preserve, no matter whether any dragons were in sight or not. He could either explain exactly what kind of samples he wanted and how he needed them collected, and Charlie would do his best to meet his specifications, or he could fly to the sites with Charlie and collect them himself, with Charlie keeping a weather eye out for trouble.

Neville still couldn't quite believe that he'd opted to accompany Charlie and collect the samples himself. He'd explained that it really was important the samples be uncontaminated, and that he had to take notes of their age, surroundings, and the general condition of any native flora in their immediate vicinity...but he was worse than hopeless on a broom.

Charlie had just grinned. "No problem, Nev. My broom will take two as easily as one; we often have to cart feed or medications, and when you're trying to dose a dragon, that's a hefty load. You can ride behind me."

The first collecting trip had been terrifying and exhilarating. He'd clung to Charlie's waist and gripped tight with his thighs as they rushed over the thawing, rocky ground at breakneck speeds, then scooped still-steaming dung into sample sacks with his heart in his throat, while Charlie stood beside him, wand in hand, watching all around.

Now he trotted after Charlie as they headed out to the courtyard. "What are we going after today?" he asked.

"I spotted a pair of Longhorns feeding yesterday afternoon, and I think I can find their preferred pooping place without too much trouble."

"Great!" Charlie's enthusiasm was contagious. Neville had noticed that his guide's spirits seemed to rise with every flight out into the preserve. After a solid week of collecting, Charlie smiled as if he'd been hit by a strong cheering charm, and joked as playfully as Fred and George combined.

Charlie mounted his sturdy broom and Neville swung a leg over and settled into the position that was becoming quite familiar. His heartbeat sped up as he wrapped his arms around Charlie's waist, but he tucked his head down behind Charlie's shoulders and sternly told himself it was just the excitement of flying out into the Preserve.

They were aloft in a moment, then plunging over the outer wall of the compound and diving down, down, down into the gorge. Charlie let out a whoop of delight as he pulled up just shy of the river, and Neville eased his death grip enough to let the blood flow back into his fingers.

"All right back there, Nev?"

"Yeah," he managed to reply.

"It's just around the bend of the river, and behind that sharp outcropping. Hang on now! Yeeeeaaaah!" Charlie laughed and urged the broom faster, hugging the river so closely Neville could feel a slight spray on his face as they raced along. They swung wide as the river turned, then pulled up along the cliff face and over the outcropping. Charlie slowed the broom and drew his wand.

Neville drew what felt like his first full breath since he'd climbed aboard. "Are we there?" he asked.

"Mm...yeah, just about. There's some fresh scorching on the rocks, here." Charlie was watching all around them now, suddenly reckless schoolboy was gone and the seasoned Dragon Keeper was solidly in place.

Neville wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed, and it bothered him a little that he didn't know why it should matter.

They flew cautiously over the rocks, down to a flattish spot screened by evergreens. Charlie brought the broom to a gentle landing. "Here we are, then," he said, waving grandly at the large pile of droppings at the edge of the trees. "Hurry it up a bit, if you can, Nev," Charlie said with an uncharacteristic note of concern in his voice. "I don't like the feel of this."

Neville nimbly slipped off the broom, mentally congratulating himself for not stumbling or getting caught in its brush, and hurried over to the dung deposits, murmuring descriptions of their size, location, and surrounding flora into the charmed recording button on the collar of his jacket. He quickly filled a sample bag from each of two distinctly different piles, spelled them shut and slung his collecting spade back over his shoulder. "Got 'em," he said as he trotted back to Charlie and swung up behind him again.

"Good! Get 'em secured, then, and let's be off." Charlie held out a hand for one sack and fastened it to the cargo hooks on the broom as Neville secured the other on the opposite side. As soon as Neville had settled into position behind him again, Charlie kicked off and they soared up into the sky.

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. "Always feel at a bit of a disadvantage afoot," he said over his shoulder. "If we meet anything, I'd rather have a broom under me than not!"

Neville just nodded agreement, knowing Charlie would feel the gesture even if he couldn't see it. "There was a spray of coltsfoot at the edge of one of the piles," he said, "and it looked like some hollowort is starting up by the second one. Any idea which deposit was which?" he asked, pressing the charmed button to record again.

Charlie flashed him a quick grin over his shoulder. "The bigger one - probably had a slightly fishy smell?"

"Yeah," Neville confirmed.

"Anya, one of the female Longhorns, has got the strangest addiction to fish! I watched her and her mate feeding yesterday, and after they'd polished off some sheep, she flew along the river, scooping up her dessert! The other is probably Vlad's. They've been mated a couple of years now; we're hoping she'll decide to clutch this year."

"Thanks!" After murmuring a few more comments about the flora surrounding each deposit, Neville turned the recorder off and gave his attention to the scenery flying by. He had just relaxed enough to begin enjoying the ride when the broom gave a sudden, sharp swerve.

"Hang on, Neville! We've got company!" Charlie had his wand out and stretched low over the broom as he pushed for even more speed. Neville automatically bent forward as well, pressing his torso tightly into Charlie's back. He could only see to his left and a bit behind them, as Charlie suddenly swore and dove.

"That idiot! Go back to the juvenile compound where you belong, Arpad!" Charlie shouted.

"What is it?" Neville gasped as they suddenly pulled up and veered to the left.

"Young Horntail. He's not breeding age yet, but he keeps trying. Last year he got hurt and we had to---aw, shite! Hang on!" Charlie swung the broom around violently, and Neville gasped as he caught sight of a black dragon with stubby bronze horns heading for them.

The dragon let out a strangled yowl that changed tone mid-screech, rather like an annoyed cat whose tail had been stepped upon, Neville's panicked mind noted absently, if a cat were several thousand pounds of flying black death!

Charlie wasn't just good on a broom - he was _brilliant_. He swooped up and darted back down, headed straight for the dragon and dodged aside just in time to avoid the sputtering flame the young Horntail tried to sear them with, then looped around and dipped right under the dragon's left wing, pulling up as they cleared the tail.

Arpad tried to follow them, spinning in mid-air and letting out another short blast of flame, then his yowling screech of a battle-cry changed to a yelp of pain, followed by a distraught wail.

Charlie laughed.

"What happened?" Neville demanded.

"Poor silly beast! He just toasted his own tail, and serve him well! Ah, here come his Keepers now." Charlie waved at the three figures approaching from the southeast. "They'll get him back to the Juveniles' Compound and take a look at that burn. We'd best head back."

Chuckling, he swung the broom around more gently and flew back toward the castle, making lazy turns and soft swoops along the way.

Still feeling his heart pounding and the blood rushing through him, Neville eased his tight hold, but kept his arms snugly around Charlie. His borrowed leather trousers suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, so he shifted back and forth as they flew, trying to ease the constriction.

Charlie wriggled a bit, then gave a slight cough. "Mind if we take a detour? I've got to take care of something."

"Hm? Oh, sure," Neville said absently.

Charlie flew across a small stand of evergreens to a clearing by a stream and came to a light landing. "We're behind the wards here, so we don't have to worry about stray Horntails sneaking up on us, or any other creatures bigger than a weasel. 'Scuse me a minute?"

Neville nodded as he swung his leg over the broomstick and stood up, stretching. Charlie rolled his shoulders and flexed his arms, then headed for the trees.

Neville recorded a few more notes into his charmed button, including a reminder to himself to inquire about the sexual maturity and activity of each of the dragons whose dung was going into the study. It might be important, particularly as breeding season got underway.

He noted a couple of small green shoots poking up through one of the bare patches on the thawing ground and bent to examine them. Coltsfoot, he determined, but one of the smaller varieties. He paced around, noticing that the plants here seemed to be a week or so's growth behind the ones near the last dung deposit. The trees seemed a bit smaller here, too, although they were probably close in age to those within the dragon habitat.

Charlie seemed to be taking rather a long time to have a slash, Neville thought suddenly. His own bladder announced it would appreciate some relief as well, so he headed toward the same section of trees Charlie had approached. He didn't see any sign of Charlie, so he picked out a tree and opened his flies, sighing with relief as he emptied his bladder.

He'd just finished when he heard a faint moan.

It didn't sound like a dragon...it sounded human. Charlie? Was he hurt?

Full of concern, Neville hurriedly tucked his penis in and headed for the sound. As he got closer, he heard a muttered curse and faint panting. It _did_ sound rather like Charlie, but if he was hurt, why hadn't he called out for help? Maybe it was someone else? Maybe...maybe there was a poacher and he had Charlie at wandpoint!

Moving cautiously and as quietly as he could, he circled a clump of young saplings and slipped behind an enormous spruce to peer at the source of the sound.

It was Charlie, and he was leaning against a tree, but standing on his own feet, so he probably wasn't too badly hurt. Neville scanned the area carefully for wild animals, poachers, Dark wizards or other dangers, but he couldn't see any. He was just about to step out into the clear and ask Charlie if he was all right when the Dragon Keeper moaned softly again, tipped his head back and closed his eyes.

Neville stared at him, then blushed madly when his gaze dropped down to Charlie's hips. His flies were undone and his right hand was wrapped around his thick red cock, stroking it almost lazily.

Neville kept staring, terribly embarrassed, but unable to look away. Charlie's cock was built like the rest of him, not remarkably long, but sturdy and muscular...and very, very red. As Neville watched, Charlie reached down with his left hand and cradled his pink bollocks, rolling them about with his fingers as his strokes sped up. He groaned and stretched, and Neville had to bite back a gasp as a flash of bright color came into view - a streak of silvery blue winding down from Charlie's belly, curving under his bollocks and disappearing into his trousers.

Neville found his hand on his own cock without consciously putting it there. He slipped it free of his still open flies and began stroking as he watched Charlie and tried desperately to figure out what that shimmering, flexing band of blue and silver on his fair, freckled skin might be. As Charlie gave a slight tug to his bollocks, Neville bit his lip and pressed down on the head of his cock with the heel of his hand, wetting his palm with precome.

He pulled gently at his foreskin, getting his fingers slippery with precome as well, then slid his wet fingers down along his shaft, watching Charlie.

Charlie scratched around his scrotum, then slid his hand back up and rubbed his thumb over the bright red head of his cock, his eyes closed and a smile on his face. His hips made short thrusts as he began wanking faster.

Neville pulled at his own cock as Charlie wanked, still staring and trying to identify the peculiar coloration. It must be a tattoo, he decided, but what _is_ it, and why is it down there? Charlie looked like something out of one of Dean's old sketches - all in leather, here in the wild, head thrown back, hair wild, and every muscle taut...

(Well, Dean's sketched figures hadn't ever had their hands in their pants, that he'd ever seen, he reminded himself, but still...)

Neville felt his bollocks tightening and bit back a moan. Charlie was thrusting into his own hand now, panting and groaning as his thick cock slid back and forth in the cage of his strong fingers. The silvery blue band suddenly flared bright sapphire blue and a blue-white flash outlined it, as Charlie gave one long, hard pull and came with a gasp, thick white spunk spurting from his cock onto the ground.

Neville sped his hand up, pressing hard on his tight bollocks on the downstroke and slicking his thumb over his glans on the upstroke, trying hard not to whimper with the need to come and come quickly, before Charlie decided to look around.

Charlie sighed in relief as he milked the last of his emission onto the ground. The bright blue dimmed back to silvery and seemed to fade, as Charlie wiped himself off and tucked his cock away. He looked up to the skies and smiled.

Neville bit down on his lip, thrust his hips and came, silently.

* * *

 _Dear Gran,_

 _I was very sorry to hear that Eloise has been unwell. Have you tried giving her a feeding of diced calves' liver, twice a week? I am enclosing a bottle of vitamin tonic you might also try. It's a general tonic for carnivorous plants, and if it doesn't work, you should probably get someone to make one specific to Venomous Tentaculas. I suggest you owl ~~Professor~~ Severus Snape; Hermione tells me he is willing to take on special commissions between his own research studies these days. ~~Don't tell him I suggested it or he'll probably poison her.~~ I am sure he would be happy to help, especially after your kindness to him when he was in St. Mungo's._

 _My research project is proceeding very well. The collecting will continue through the breeding season, so I can chart the effects of pregnancy and brooding, as well as take samples of hatchlings' dung. I've learned a lot about dragons and their Keepers, ~~especially Charlie, who might have a tatt--~~ and they have all been very kind to me, especially ~~Charlie~~ Assistant Director Weasley, who has been taking me out to do all the collecting. He's ~~brilliant~~ very ~~sexy~~ ~~confusing~~ kind and has really been the one ~~man I want to--~~ reason this study is going so well._

 _Give mum and dad my love, and tell them I'll visit as soon as I can._

 _Love,_

 _Neville_

Charlie and that bloody tattoo or whatever it was had become something of an obsession with him, Neville thought ruefully. He couldn't look at Charlie without seeing him back in that clearing, head back, eyes closed, trousers open, fist full of cock, and that mysterious blue streak winding down from his belly to curl beneath his sac.

He'd even been dreaming of it. He'd seen Charlie just as he had been, lounging back against the tree, leisurely wanking, but in the dream, Neville had walked out from behind his own tree, and his clothes had just vanished. He'd walked right up to Charlie and knelt before him, stilling his slick hand and kissing his knuckles, then pressed his face to Charlie's belly and licked that mysterious blue streak.

It had thrummed beneath his tongue, and then Charlie's hands were fisted in his hair, and he was licking along Charlie's cock and the world went silvery blue as they both came and came and came...

Neville had awakened gasping Charlie's name, his pyjamas a sticky mess. He was _very_ grateful for the thick stone walls and stout door of the guest quarters.

Their daily collecting forays had been much less exciting since the day of the Horntail race, but Neville was hyper-aware of every bit of contact with Charlie's body, no matter how slight or incidental. His arms around Charlie's waist now seemed to feel the tension and flexure of every muscle, his thighs clamped against Charlie's noted every tiny shift as Charlie steered, and as for the rest of him, pressed right up against Charlie's back and incredibly tight arse...well, the borrowed leather trousers felt more uncomfortably tight and constricting every day.

He still hadn't managed to find out about the whatever-it-was. Their collecting trips had been quick and efficient, and apparently Charlie had superb bladder control, as he hadn't taken a slash break on a collecting trip since that day in the clearing.

Neville had tried inviting Charlie in to help him in the greenhouse, but although he had accepted and set to with a will, he kept his shirt on and buttoned up, despite the heat and humidity.

He'd volunteered to help clean out the nursery pens when Charlie mentioned he'd be working there one afternoon, but Charlie had ruffled his hair and told him it was just dull, dirty work and he'd have more fun mucking around with his own compost heaps in the greenhouse.

He'd even followed Charlie into the men's room off the main dining hall and took a stance one urinal away. All his discreet glances and careful studying of various angles in the mirrors around the room were in vain. He'd gotten another good look at Charlie's rather attractive cock, close enough to see that it had light freckles along the shaft and that Charlie's pubic hair was just one shade darker red than the hair on his head.

There was not a trace of silvery blue or any other blue, other than the faint blue of veins under the pale skin.

It was annoying and rather frustrating.

He couldn't think of a way to bring it up in conversation that wouldn't sound ridiculous. "So, Charlie, do you happen to have any interesting tattoos?" Merlin, that sounded like a dreadful pickup line! And he wasn't trying to pick Charlie up...

Well, not exactly.

Although, if Charlie expressed any interest...

Neville groaned and hid his face in his hands as he sat on his bed. What the hell was he doing, what was he _thinking?_ He had no idea what Charlie's preferences were. Of the Weasley clan, he'd heard Bill would shag anything with a pulse, the twins ditto (most particularly including each other), Ron--

Well, Ron was nominally straight, and now married to Hermione, to boot, but Neville hadn't been such a sound sleeper as a teen that he hadn't heard what went on after lights out in their dorm, especially when Harry had nightmares. He'd seen Ron tumble out of Harry's bed in the wee hours of the morning, looking indecently sated. Ron had even caught him watching once, shrugged and grinned, then went off to take a shower.

Percy, well...it had been Ron's considered opinion that Percy would gladly let the Minister of Magic bugger him senseless over his desk at the Ministry, if there was a chance for promotion in it.

Ginny...Ginny was beautiful and lively and a firecracker in bed, as he had ample reason to know. She had dated anyone she chose to, and when she'd chosen him after Harry had broken up with her in their sixth year, he couldn't quite believe it. They'd lasted nearly a year together, then she'd gone with Susan Bones for a while and was currently seeing Seamus. He rather thought she planned on making The Boy Who Lived come crawling back to her, once he got tired of professional quidditch.

He'd never heard any gossip about Charlie.

He didn't seem to be dating any of the other Dragon Keepers, and although he flirted with the cook outrageously and made her blush at least three times a week, she was over 120 years old and Neville was fairly sure Charlie was only teasing.

A sharp rap on the door made him jump. "Come in," he called, self-consciously standing and adjusting the damned leather trousers.

"Morning, Nev!" Charlie grinned at him, "Feel like a Fireball this morning? Lai Mieu gorged herself on wild boar yesterday; she's getting ready to mate, Marinka says."

"Oh, wonderful!" Neville had gotten rather caught up in the Dragon Keepers' concerns and hopes for their scaly charges. Marinka had been fretting over her pet's prospective love life ever since he'd arrived.

"Let's grab some breakfast, then head out. We can probably get the samples before it's warm enough for her to be stirring. It's colder here than in her natural range; she's usually lazy and dozes until mid-morning."

They ate breakfast rapidly and flew out in the chill of the early morning to find the Fireball's dung heap. Neville gathered his sample quickly, made his usual notes and climbed back aboard Charlie's broom, all in a few minutes.

They flew back to the castle, but as they approached, Charlie slowed the broom. "Something's up," he said, pointing toward the pens where the juvenile dragons were kept. Several Keepers were up on their brooms, flying low over the pens. A couple were flying in widening circles higher up.

"Well, whatever it is, it's not a huge emergency, or they'd have the signal up," Charlie pointed to the flagpole atop the castle, where a blue flag with a black dragon on it currently flew. "Still, I'd better get over there and see what's wrong. Mind if I land near the Nursery? It's a bit of a walk for you, back to the greenhouse..."

"Sure, Charlie. I mean, that's fine," Neville said, watching the flying Keepers curiously.

They bypassed their usual landing spot and swung past the North Tower, angling for the courtyard beside the Nursery pens. As Charlie came in for a landing, there was an outraged squawk from behind the tall stone walls. They both looked up in time to see a young Ridgeback flail his way up into the air, despite the admonitions of his Keeper and a hastily cast Calming Charm. Charlie started to reverse their descent, but the young dragon let out a very unhappy noise, belched, then twitched his tail and let fly with an enormous explosion of extremely odiferous excrement.

"Oh, _**SHITE!**_ " Charlie pressed forward, but it was no use. The descending cloud of crap covered them both instantly.

Trying to control his disgust and threatening hysterical laughter, Neville clung to Charlie with one arm and wiped his face with the other. Both of them were blinking and snorting and spitting, trying to get rid of the foul stuff. They flew back toward the greenhouse, leaving the unhappy dragon wheebling piteously behind them, as its Keeper made soothing noises and got it back into its pen.

Charlie managed to bring them to a safe landing, and they dismounted. Charlie handed Neville the Fireball sample sack. "More dragon dung, sir?" he asked solemnly, his blue eyes twinkling in his muck-streaked face.

"Oh, thanks _ever_ so much," Neville said as he took the bag.

They stared at each other for a moment, then both broke out laughing, howling as they pounded each other on the shoulders and wept. It was quite a while before sheer lack of breath forced them to stop.

"Come on, let's get cleaned up. Aren't you glad we put the greenhouse next to the salle and gymnasium? There's that nice, big bath with lovely hot showers," Charlie said, giving him a little push toward the building.

"Sounds wonderful. I'll toss this in the greenhouse and be right with...er...be right there. Save me some hot water," Neville said. Charlie gave him a jaunty wave and headed for the gym. Neville practically ran to the green house and threw the sack inside, then dashed back to the gym.

He could hear the water running, and a cloud of steam greeted him as he opened the door to the shower room. Charlie was singing something in Romanian that was probably irreverent and almost certainly bawdy. He had a nice voice, Neville noted.

He stripped off his filthy clothes and shoved them in the hamper for soiled leather goods, set his wand on the little shelf above it, and stepped into the shower. It was a large circular room with at least a dozen shower heads mounted along the wall, and a complicated arrangement of more overhead, ranging from giant sprinklers that gave a rain like downpour, to small nozzles that jetted water at pressures that were nearly painful.

All of the shower heads were shaped like dragon heads, of course.

Neville picked a spot not too far from Charlie but not intrusively close, either. He adjusted the spray to hard and hot and sighed with relief as the nasty smelling muck sluiced away. He turned a handle on the wall and a little bronze dragon filled his hand with sweet-smelling shampoo. As he began working up the lather between his palms, he turned under the spray and risked a glance at Charlie.

He'd been wrong. Charlie's arse wasn't just tight, it was _incredible._ He had beautifully shaped buttocks, firm and muscular, and enticingly dusted with freckles.

Neville lathered his hair and scrubbed hard. He washed it three times, before he was relatively sure it didn't stink of dragon droppings. He reached for another handle and a copper dragon spat liquid soap into his palms. He soaped his face and rinsed, then began lathering his body and went back to watching Charlie.

Charlie was still singing cheerfully, leaning into the spray to rinse his hair clean. He stretched and reached back with a long loofah on a stick to lather his back. As Neville held his breath, Charlie turned around to rinse his back, and Neville finally had an unobstructed view of his body.

It was quite a sight - pale, freckled, and amazingly toned. Nude, he looked leaner than he did in his leathers, although he was still sturdily built. His chest bore scattered scars, including one that looked like an old burn and another that was clearly a claw mark, raking from just below his right nipple down to his navel. Coarse red hair ran down from his navel to his groin, where his cock hung at rest between his legs, pink and freckled, with his pale pink bollocks below it.

Neville felt himself growing hard at the sight, but there was no sign of a tattoo, blue, silver or otherwise.

Neville stared and stared. He rinsed his hands and wiped his eyes and stared some more.

"Something wrong, Neville?" Charlie's calm, friendly voice asked.

To his horror, Neville's mouth opened and he blurted out, "I thought you had a tattoo!"

He wanted to die. He wanted to dissolve and run down the drain with the rest of the muck. He stood there, blushing from head to toe.

Charlie blinked, then shook the water out of his face and stared at Neville in puzzlement. "I do, but it doesn't...how...oh! I wondered why you were so red that day!" He laughed, coloring a bit, then stepped closer to Neville and smiled down at him. "It's a special tattoo; I had it done by a very prominent Ink Master; it took him most of a month to finish it."

Neville gulped at Charlie's proximity. Steam was rising from his freckled skin and the gleam in his sparkling blue eyes sent a jolt straight down Neville's spine to his cock. He was suddenly hyper-aware of his own nakedness and the state of his burgeoning erection.

"Do you want to see it?" Charlie asked him in a soft purr.

Unable to form words, Neville nodded.

Charlie smiled and reached down to stroke his cock. As his fingers wrapped around it, a flash of color bloomed just under his skin. His cock lifted slightly.

Neville stepped back against the wall, staring.

As Charlie's cock swelled and lifted, the colors grew more intense and more distinct. Charlie reached out and wiped a bit of lather from Neville's chest and grinned as he soaped his cock. With a few more strokes, it was hard up against his belly, and Neville was looking at a gorgeous representation of a Swedish Short Snout in full display. The dragon's wings spread across Charlie's chest; its neck looped around his neck and its head nestled on his shoulder. Its hind legs ran down Charlie's hips to his thighs, and its tail was that streak of silvery blue that snaked down from Charlie's belly, wrapped around his cock and disappeared under his bollocks.

With a wink, Charlie turned around, and Neville gasped to see the dragon's tail curving up over his arse and its tip pointing right between his cheeks.

Charlie turned back and let go of his cock, spreading his arms to give Neville a full view. "This is Helga. She was my first dragon, my first love, if you will." He trailed his fingers across the scar that had nearly cut him in two. "She gave me this, the first year she mated."

"It's...she's beautiful," Neville said, awed at the artistry of the work. "But why does it, I mean why do you..." he trailed off in embarrassment.

"It's a lover's tattoo; it only appears when I'm aroused," Charlie said.

"Y-your lover..." Neville stammered.

"Oh, I've had my share," Charlie said softly, as he stepped closer still. "But no one that Helga likes as much as she likes you."

"M-me? I...I..."

"She came to life in the greenhouse, Neville, when you were working the earth, all sweaty and serious and sincere. And again, after we dodged the Horntail, when I could feel your heart pounding against my spine and your arms wrapped around me so tight," Charlie said, resting one arm on the wall and leaning in, "and every bloody time since then, when I've felt you up against me, hard as a rock and pressed right into my arse." Charlie reached out and drew one soapy finger along Neville's jaw and down along his throat.

Neville shivered. His cock was so hard it ached.

"Do you want to see what else Helga can do?" Charlie asked him softly.

Neville nodded dumbly.

Charlie reached down for his cock and began stroking it again. The dragon's colors flared brighter and the inked eyes swirled, then the whole tattoo began to move, flexing wings and twitching claws.

"W-wait," Neville managed to say. Charlie paused, looking at him in inquiry. Neville pushed away from the wall and sank to his knees before Charlie, running his hands over the man's powerful thighs and feeling Helga's feet twitch at his touch. He leaned forward and pressed his cheek to Charlie's belly, smiling to feel the dragon's tail move beneath him. He slid his hands up Charlie's legs to his groin and cradled his heavy bollocks, hefting them gently, then moving on to grasp his cock and stroke it.

"Ahhhh, Neville," Charlie sighed. He reached down and slicked his wet hands through Neville's hair, lightly scratching his scalp with strong, blunt fingers.

Neville gave a long, cautious lick from Charlie's bollocks up to the head of his cock, then slipped his foreskin back and swiped his tongue across the glans.

"I'm already close, Nev," Charlie warned him. "It won't take much,"

Neville made a sound of understanding, then slipped Charlie's cock into his mouth. He slid it in and out, working his tongue along the shaft and teasing the head with little licks. Charlie groaned, and Neville could see the dragon tattoo shifting and growing brighter. He took Charlie in as far as he could manage, then let him slip almost free and sucked on his cock head, hard.

Charlie gasped and his cock jerked in Neville's grasp. There was a flare of blue-white light and Neville vaguely realized the dragon had spurted flame as Charlie came, filling his mouth with salty-bitter come.

He let Charlie slip free and sat back on his heels, watching the tattoo change. Helga looked astonishingly smug, he decided, as she stretched her neck before settling her head back on Charlie's shoulder. She winked at him before she stilled and began to fade.

Charlie reached down and grasped his arms, pulling him to his feet and kissing him.

"Merlin's hairy sac, Neville!" Charlie said when he'd been thoroughly kissed. "I didn't--I never thought you'd want--oh, hell," Charlie gave up and kissed him again.

Neville thought he felt Helga purring, if dragons purred.

Charlie slid a hand between them and ran it down Neville's belly to his cock, still pressing rather painfully up against his belly. "I think we ought to do something about this, don't you?" Charlie asked him.

"What did you have in mind?" Neville asked, hating the blush that he could feel heating his cheeks.

Charlie said something in Romanian and all the taps shut off at once. "Follow me," he said, taking Neville by the hand and leading him from the showers. He paused just long enough to grab their wands and a couple of towels, handing Neville one along with his wand. They wrapped towels about their hips, then Charlie drew Neville back into the salle, deserted at this hour, and into a set of rooms at the back. He closed and warded the door behind them.

"These used to be the Dueling Master's quarters, but we haven't had a Dueling Master here since before I came here. The house elves keep the place clean and aired, but no one else ever comes back here." Charlie threw the bedroom door open, revealing a large, cheerful room with an impressive bed covered and draped in shades of blue and green.

"Now then, about this matter that seems to have come up," Charlie began, dropping his towel, sitting on the bed, and pulling Neville forward between his knees. He slipped the towel free from Neville's waist and let it fall to the floor. Neville shivered a bit, and was rather mortified to find he'd lost his erection.

"Hm. I see we've had a temporary setback," Charlie said. He smiled at Neville and pulled him down for a kiss.

Charlie's mouth was sweet and his tongue was brilliant. His hands were large and warm and gentle as they made circles on Neville's bare back. Neville felt his erection returning, and he filled his hands with Charlie's bright hair and kissed him hard, swiping his tongue in and exploring Charlie's mouth, trying to taste every bit of him.

One of those large warm hands slid around and toyed with his nipples, then slipped down and wrapped around his cock. "Ah, the dragon wakes!" Charlie said, stroking him gently. "Now, then, Neville, what's your pleasure? What do you like best?"

"I...um...I haven't done..."

"A smart, sexy man like you? I don't believe it," Charlie said softly, continuing to stroke him.

Neville groaned. He wasn't about to mention Ginny, and his other experiences had been brief and probably too tame and insignificant to mention to a man who had a...well, to a man who had Helga all over his body.

He noticed the dragon was brightening up again.

"I--well, we fooled around in school some, you know how it was," he said, watching anxiously for Charlie's reaction. The Dragon Keeper only nodded. "I had a g-girlfriend, for about a year. She was brilliant, but we weren't really in l-love," he added hesitantly. "And I've had a couple of flings with people at the Jardins, but nothing really...serious."

"Shall I tell you what I like, then?" Charlie asked, seriously.

Neville nodded.

"You've seen that I love to fly? I love riding. There's nothing better. I love the feel of a lover beneath me, watching him soar like a dragon, fill me with fire, and then spiral down to a soft landing."

Neville must have looked as puzzled as he felt, because Charlie just kept stroking him a moment longer, then kissed him again. "Fly for me? Fly with me?"

He couldn't seem to find words, but he nodded and Charlie pulled him onto the bed, stretched out over him and began kissing every bit of skin he could find. He paid special attention to Neville's nipples, which was a bit odd, but nice, Neville decided. He dipped his tongue in and out of Neville's navel, which tickled but sent a queasy jolt of fire down to his cock. Then he nibbled his way along the dark trail of hair that led down to Neville's cock, before planting a kiss at its base.

Neville squirmed and bucked a bit, moaning slightly at the brief contact.

"Not so fast, Nev. I have plans for this fellow," Charlie said teasingly, as he licked lightly up from the root to the glans. "I told you, I _love_ to ride." He leaned over and rummaged in the nightstand drawer for a moment. "Ah. I thought I'd left some here," he said, pulling out a squat jar.

"Hm?"

"I got tired of going all the way back to my quarters after helping you in the greenhouse," Charlie said with a grin. "Nice convenient place for a private wank, isn't it?"

Neville blushed but chuckled, too.

Charlie opened the jar and dipped his fingers in, bringing out a dollop of some golden, glistening salve. "We use this on the young dragons, you know," he said conversationally, slicking the thick stuff onto Neville's very interested cock. "It helps prevent skin cracking and scale damage. Perfectly safe for man and beast," he assured Neville, who couldn't help but show his alarm at the news.

"Now then," Charlie said, straddling him. "I know a spell for this, but since I hate getting my wand goopy, I'll just make do with these," he said holding up two fingers and smiling lewdly. He reached behind himself and closed his eyes, and Neville realized he'd pressed his fingers up his arse. "Oh, yeah," Charlie said, "that's nice. It'll be nicer when it's your cock," he added, stroking Neville's slick cock with his free hand.

The slick friction was wonderful, but nothing to the moment when Charlie leaned forward, kissed him deeply, then sat down on his cock, sheathing him in one smooth motion. "Oh, _Merlin_ , yes! That's bloody marvelous!" Charlie said as Neville filled him.

Neville reached out for Charlie's hips, gripping him hard and bucking up as Charlie bore down. In moments, they had found a rhythm that worked for both of them. Helga's bright eyes were spinning madly as she flexed her wings across Charlie's chest. Neville moved one hand and found the abandoned liniment jar, scooped up a handful of it and slicked it on Charlie's cock.

Helga writhed in appreciation. Charlie did the same, tightening his muscles and nearly making Neville's brain explode at the sensations surrounding his cock. He thrust up hard and matched his stroke on Charlie's cock to their established tempo.

"Oh, Neville! Yeah, like that! Just like that!" Charlie had his eyes closed and his head thrown back, sweat-streaked hair pointing in every direction, just as he'd been in the clearing that day.

As Charlie moved up and down on him, matching his thrusts, Neville suddenly felt something else moving alongside his cock, snug inside Charlie's tight arse. Charlie groaned loudly.

"Charlie? What--"

"It's Helga. Told you she liked you. She's willing to share, apparently," Charlie said, still groaning.

Neville sped his strokes on Charlie's shaft as he felt himself nearing completion. His bollocks were hard and tight and his cock was about ready to burst.

"God, yes! Neville! Let go! It's--oh, _yes!_ " Charlie shouted and came, spattering Neville's belly and his own. As his cock jerked wildly in Neville's grasp, Helga let out a burst of flame that raced down Charlie's chest and along his cock, tingling the palm of Neville's hand. Neville continued stroking, as Charlie rammed down hard on his cock and squeezed. Neville felt himself spasm and come, bucking beneath Charlie and spurting come deep into his arse.

"Oh, _just_ like flying," Charlie said with a beatific smile, as he shifted enough to let Neville slip free, then collapsed onto the bed beside him, panting heavily.

Helga looked _decidedly_ smug, Neville thought as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _Dear Gran,_

 _I'm very glad ~~Professor~~ Snape was able to make you a tonic for Eloise. I hope she's feeling better. ~~What do you mean, you're having him over for tea every week!?~~ I'm glad you have been enjoying your discussions with him; he is a very learned man, ~~although I still wouldn't trust him farther than I could throw him, no matter what he did in the war~~ and he knows everything there is to know about ~~Dark Arts~~ potions. I hope you have a very good time at Nice ~~and no, I don't want that great black bat for a step-grandfather!~~ and come home well rested._

 _My research project has been very successful so far, but it is going to take considerably longer to complete than I had originally anticipated. It only makes sense to continue the study through the autumn, until the dragons go back into hibernation in mid-winter, and chart the progress of the second and third generations of plants from the first seeding._

 _I'm planning on coming home for a short visit at the end of summer. ~~Assistant Director~~ Charlie is going to come with me; he says he's overdue for a visit home, himself, and he would like to meet you. He says he ~~isn't afraid of you~~ would like to congratulate you on raising a botanical genius, but I think he's teasing ~~as he was fucking me in the greenhouse when he said it~~. Still, he wants to ~~ask you what Snape likes in bed and tell you to shag the great git's brains --- damnit Charlie! Stop that, this is **my** letter!~~ talk to you about a commercial venture to market some of the new fertilizer blends we're developing here._

 _Please give mum and dad my love and tell them I'll visit when I come home this summer._

 _Love,_

 _Neville_

 _P.S. ~~I hope you'll like my new tattoo - the parts I'm willing to show in public, that is~~ How do you feel about tattoos?_  
* * *  
End  
* * *


End file.
